| 2008 Class Valedictorian |
When Lesley Anne Weaver visited Saint Mary’s for the first time, she says that the “sense of community” she felt was one of the factors that contributed to her selecting Saint Mary’s. “I was also drawn to the intellectual rigor of its classroom. I knew then and there that a Saint Mary’s education would give me the skills necessary to think critically and analytically, especially about social justice issues.” The Valedictorian of the Class of 2008 knew what she was talking about, and has proven it over these past four years. The political science and social work major is also a Presidential Scholar, a Public Policy and International Relations Fellow, a member of Pi Sigma Alpha (the National Political Science Honor Society), and Phi Alpha, (the National Social Work Society).
Not only has Weaver excelled academically, she participated in other campus activities, as well as working as a Writing Center tutor, Music Seminar room desk worker, and a student assistant for the political science department. She’s volunteered at the Children’s Dispensary, and she’s served internships with Senator Evan Bayh’s South Bend office, and Covering Kids and Families of Indiana.
After graduation, Weaver will participate in a paid, ten-week Business Management Internship (BMI) at a Walgreens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she’ll get a broad overview of the facets of running a store. “I also hope that it will give me a better understanding of the relationship between businesses, the communities they operate in and the people they serve,” says Weaver. She’ll then move on to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where she’ll pursue a master’s in public policy, and either a doctorate in public policy or political science.
When considering the best part of being a student at Saint Mary’s, Weaver goes back to that sense of community that she felt on her first day on campus, which she says has allowed her to get to know other women on a deeper, more personal level. “Being close to so many talented women has truly been an enriching experience.”
